Recreational vehicles (RVs) are vehicles designed as temporary living quarters for recreational, camping, travel or season use. Two main categories of RVs exist: motorized motorhomes and towable trailers, which can be towed behind a vehicle. Motorized motorhomes typically are broken into classes, with Type A motorhomes being the largest, Type B motorhomes or van campers being the smallest, and Type C motorhomes generally falling in between. Types of towable RVs include folding camping trailers, expandable trailers, truck campers, conventional travel trailers and fifth-wheel travel trailers.
RVs offer a convenient, hassle-free way to travel. RVs have been shown to allow its owners to be more physically active than on typical vacations, and traveling by RV can provide reduced exposure to illness and other health risks. However, the environmental friendliness of RVs increasingly is a concern for RV owners, potential owners, and users alike. The environmental impact of RVs extends beyond just the fuel economy of the motorhomes or the vehicles pulling towable RVs. With fully-equipped kitchens and baths, flat-screen TVs, surround-sound stereos and more, the living quarters of today's RVs consume a substantial amount of energy in their own right. The HVAC systems utilized in RVs impose a particularly large energy load. Traditional RV HVAC systems are self-contained, roof mounted units which typically operate at 115 Volts AC power. These units are renowned for being energy inefficient, thereby requiring the operation of a generator to meet the power demands of the HVAC system.
Attempts to incorporate solar electric systems into RVs have been made. However, because of the high electrical load and limited surface area on which to mount PV arrays, solar power has not been considered a viable option for meeting the RV's complete energy needs. Rather, solar power has only been considered suitable for small loads, such as lights, small TV's, computers, and other small appliances. For heavy loads such as the HVAC system, a generator is required.